The Cavs of Carson High
by TheNewRepublic
Summary: High-School AU. Taffyta Muttonfudge has just moved to a new school in Kansas City. Lonely and apprehensive, she just starts up on her favorite things: tennis and managing the football team. Lucky for her, though, she quickly makes a friend at a football game. But now she's starting to wonder, could something that harmed her before bring her joy now? Vanellope x Taffyta.
1. Chapter 1

Vanellope walked through the halls of Carson High School, backpack on and earbuds in, listening to "Stay" by Florida Georgia Line. Her, along with everybody else, were just released for activity period, a twenty minute period to study or go to the gym, or, Vanellope's case, hang out with her friends.

She reached the back door of the school building and walked outside into the mild air of Kansas City, Missouri, spotting fellow freshmen Minty Zaki and Citrusella Flugpucker sitting at their usual table, both playing on their phones.

Vanellope took out her earphones and sat down next to Minty. She looked at her phone. "Super Charged 2. I haven't gotten that game yet."

"It's pretty awesome." Minty commented, concentrating on her game. "Aw, dang it!"

"Ha! Beat you!" Citrusella said victoriously, winning the fourth straight race between them.

"Only because you used a Nitro right when I was about to win!" Minty protested.

"Sure, sure." Citrusella waved her hand. "Hey, Vanellope."

Vanellope nodded. "Hey. You guys going to the football game?"

"Yep." They both said. "Who's it against?" Minty asked.

"Northridge." She told them.

"Oo, I hope we crush them." Minty said. "Like the Chiefs crushed the Titans last night! We won 40-20!"

"Awesome!" Vanellope said. Minty was an avid football fan, judging by her Alex Smith jersey. All three of them were football fans, just not as much as Minty.

The Carson Cavaliers would be playing the Northridge Lions at seven that night. They were big cross-town rivals, and the games were always sold out.

"So how's your day been?" Citrusella asked Vanellope.

"Eh, so-so." She waved her hand in a corresponding gesture.

"How so?"

"Well, in PE, we played flag football, but Angela Jamison insisted on tackling me. Multiple times."

"Mm." They both nodded. Angela Jamison could get a little excited in PE.

Just then, Vanellope heard a noise. Over on the tennis courts, she saw Taffyta Muttonfudge wearing a white tank top and pink bootie shorts, tennis racket in hand. She tossed the ball up and gracefully served it across the court to Candela Crawford, AKA Candlehead, who returned the ball. Taffyta's hair waved around in the slight breeze, and Vanellope was hypnotized.

"Hey. Vanellope."

Vanellope was snapped out of her trance. "Huh?"

"Will you need a ride to the game? My sister can take us." Citrusella asked.

"Uh, yeah, I could use a ride." She nodded.

Just then, the bell rang, giving them eight minutes to return to class. The three picked up their backpacks as Citrusella and Minty went inside, but Vanellope took a little longer to watch Taffyta, who was putting her racket in a bag. When she zipped it up, she looked up at Vanellope. Vanellope panicked and hurried inside. When she turned to look out the door, Taffyta had turned and walked towards the locker room.

Vanellope sighed and headed to class.

* * *

Later that day, after school, Vanellope lied in her bed, doodling in a journal. She wasn't drawing anything in particular, just whatever came to her mind. There was a certain section near the back, though, reserved for drawings of Taffyta Muttonfudge. She had tens of little drawings of Taffyta with different expressions, outfits, and postures. Vanellope sighed at the pictures. She was a very good artist, and the drawings were very realistic.

Vanellope drew a small heart over one of the drawings before she heard a knock on her door. She quickly put her journal in her nightstand drawer and pulled out her phone. "Come in."

In stepped Ralph, Vanellope's father by adoption. He was a large, muscular man who barely fit through the doorframe. He had adopted Vanellope a year before, and Vanellope loved him for it, but still felt she'd be embarrassed of him somehow. "Hey." He greeted.

"Hey." Vanellope said back.

"You going to the game tonight?"

"Yeah. Citrusella's sister Jubileena is taking me and my friends."

"Okay."

Just then, Vanellope got a text from Citrusella. "We're here."

Vanellope got up. "They're here." She told Ralph.

"Alright. Have fun." He left. Vanellope then changed into a Carson Cavaliers T-shirt with her jeans and headed out. Jubileena's Chevrolet Comaro was outside. She climbed in the backside, sitting next to Minty, Citrusella riding shotgun.

"Hey there, kid." Jubileena, a seventeen-year-old junior, greeted.

"Hi." Vanellope waved.

Jubileena then began to drive them to Cavs Field, an artificial turf field with a big green and black C with two swords at midfield, stands on both sides, and a big scoreboard and video screen with "CHS" on it. Jubileena dropped them off near the gate. "Have fun, guys."

"See ya, sis." Citrusella said.

She waved and drove off. The three went to the gate and showed the ticket clerk their student sports passes, which got them into every game of every sport for free. They then went to the student section, where there were already plenty of kids. They found their seats and watched the team warmup on the field. The Cavaliers were in green and black. Their quarterback was number 3 Rancis FluggerButter, who was sort of a heartthrob among the school, but Vanellope didn't really know why. The guy was obnoxious. But as far as ability, he was a pretty good quarterback.

"Look. It's Swizz!" Minty exclaimed. She spotted Swizzle Melarky's number 11 jersey. The wide receiver was running routes. Minty had made her crush on the boy apparent to her friends. She was just reluctant to ask to hang out with him.

That's when Vanellope noticed. Taffyta was on the field. She was to the right of the coach, writing something on a clipboard. Vanellope didn't know Taffyta was a manager for the team, but what she did know was that she would have major trouble paying attention to the game; Taffyta would be a constant distraction.

That's when the team headed to locker room. Taffyta was still on the sideline organizing water bottles and checking other things. That's when the announcer's voice came on. "Cavs fans, welcome to Cavs field for this Conference 5A contest between district rivals the Northridge Lions and the Carson Cavaliers!"

The fans cheered. "Now, let's meet the Lions' starting lineup." The announcer then began to read of the Northridge starters.

Citrusella tapped Vanellope's shoulder. "I'm going to the concession stand. You want something?"

"Dr. Pepper?" She asked.

"Sure." Citrusella said.

"Sprite for me, please." Minty asked.

"'Kay." She then hiked up the stairs to the concession at the top.

Vanellope looked back down at the field, watching Taffyta, who pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Vanellope sighed at the sight of the beautiful girl.

Just then, the band started playing the school fight song as the Cavaliers team ran onto the field. The Northridge team ran out to the sound of their own band on the other side of the stadium.

"Swizzle!" Minty yelled and waved. Number 11 looked up and waved. Minty giggled. "He waved at me!" She said excitedly to Vanellope.

Vanellope smiled humorously at Minty. That's when Citrusella returned carrying two Dr. Peppers and a Sprite. She handed one Dr. Pepper to Vanellope and the Sprite to Minty.

"Thanks, Citrus." They both said.

"No prob." She said, twisting open her drink. The teams on the field lined up for kickoff. The Cavaliers would receive the kick. The fans cheered louder and louder until the ball was kicked, and once a Cavalier caught the ball, the fans yelled "CHARGE!" for tradition sake. The return man ran the ball until being tackled at the twenty-five yard line.

Down on the sideline, Taffyta wrote down the play on her clipboard. That's when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Sweetness. This touchdown's for you." It was Rancis Fluggerbutter.

"Whatever." Taffyta said, annoyed. Rancis ran onto the field. Taffyta knew she was pretty, but found Rancis to be very annoying.

The first play, Rancis snapped the ball and faked the handoff to the running back. He then threw the ball deep down field, in the direction of Swizzle Malarky. The crowd murmured in anticipation until Swizzle leaped up and caught the pass miraculously. The crowd erupted in cheers as Swizzle was pushed out of bound at the seventeen yard line.

"Yay, Swizzle!" Minty exclaimed. Citrusella and Vanellope elbowed her and smiled, making Minty blush.

Back on the field, Rancis lined up in the shotgun. He took the snap and handed it off to the running back. Just before he crossed the line of scrimmage, he stepped back and threw a pass, much to the confusion of the defense. The pass floated safely into the hands of Rancis, who had run down field.

"Touchdown Cavs!" The announcer exclaimed as Rancis crossed the goal line. The crowd roared as six points were added onto the scoreboard.

Rancis came over to the bench and sat down as the extra point was made. Rancis got plenty of pats on the helmet for his catch. Taffyta came over and handed him a water bottle. "Nice catch."

"Thanks, sweetheart." He said, taking off his helmet. "So, how's about you and me go out for ice cream after the game?"

"Shouldn't an athlete like you eat something healthier than ice cream?" Taffyta asked.

"Fro-yo. How 'bout fro-yo?" He offered.

"Listen to me. I promise there are plenty of other girls who are a lot more interested in you than me." She began to walk off.

"Oh, so is that a no?" Rancis asked.

Taffyta turned around. "You know what? It kinda is." She turned back and continued walking.

"But…." He stood, in utter shock. "But I'm a quarterback!"

Meanwhile, the Lions were able to drive down the field and score a field goal, making the score 7-3. After the kickoff, the offense took back to the field.

After a couple of plays, Taffyta noticed something. The safeties were playing towards the sidelines. They were expecting a pass. Taffyta ran to the coach. "Coach!"

Coach Jake Collins looked down at her. "What?"

"The safeties are covering the sidelines. They're expecting a pass. If we ran a quarterback draw, the middle of the field would be wide open."

Coach looked out onto the field. Sure enough, the safeties were moving to the sides. The coach's eyes widened. "Time out!" He called. The referee blew his whistle.

The team came over and huddled up. The coach told them to run a quarterback draw. He sent them back onto the field, and the Northridge safeties were still leaving the middle wide open.

Rancis took the snap and dropped back. After a few moments, he began running right up the middle, nothing but grass in front of him. The Lions were able to tackle him, but not before gaining twenty yards.

"Good call, kid." Coach told Taffyta. "Maybe you should be a coach."

Her? A coach? With a team of her own?

Even though her best sport was tennis, her favorite would always be football. Her father was a safety in the NFL, a backup for the Falcons, and she remembered playing catch with him during the offseason. She always wondered, though. Could a girl play football?

The game went on. That drive resulted in a touchdown that put the Cavs up 14-3, and no one scored again for the rest of the half. The halftime buzzer sounded, and the teams headed to the locker rooms.

"Let's go toss around a football." Minty said.

"Sure." Vanellope and Citrusella agreed. They walked down the steps and onto the field, as did a few other kids. Vanellope went over to grab a ball, but when she reached down, she touched a hand. She looked up, and she saw Taffyta, picking up the ball. "Oops, sorry." She said.

Vanellope shook her head and hoped she wasn't blushing too badly. "No, it's fine."

"Here." Taffyta handed her the ball.

"Thanks." Vanellope said. She threw the ball to Minty, who threw it to Citrusella, who threw it back to Vanellope.

"Hey." Taffyta said.

"Huh?" Vanellope asked.

"Do you think I could throw one?"

Vanellope handed her the ball. "Sure."

"Thanks." She said and gripped the ball correctly, fingertips on the laces, and threw a perfect spiral to Minty.

"Wow, nice throw." Vanellope complemented.

"Thanks. I've practiced a lot with my dad. He's in the NFL."

"Your dad's in the NFL?" Vanellope asked, amazed.

"Yeah. He's a backup safety for the Falcons. Whenever he's home, he plays football with me."

"Wow. That's amazing." Vanellope said.

"Yeah." Taffyta nodded. Just then, the buzzer sounded, indicating the second half was about to begin.

"Spectators, please vacate the field for the second half." The announcer said.

"I guess we're going." Vanellope said as Citrusella and Minty came over.

"No, wait." Taffyta said. "Y'all can stay."

"We can?" Minty asked.

"Sure. You guys seem nice." She led them to a bench. "You can sit here."

"Thanks." They said. They sat down as the teams ran back onto the field. The second half kickoff began the third quarter, but Vanellope spent most of her time watching Taffyta walk around, handing out water bottles to the players or simply watching the game.

Suddenly, Minty elbowed Vanellope. "Swizz is coming this way!" She whispered excitedly.

Vanellope snapped out of her trance and looked to see Swizzle coming over. He sat down next to Minty. "What are you doing here?" He asked, smiling.

"Watching you play." Minty said. "I mean watching you guys play!" She corrected. "You're a really good player, though."

Swizzle chuckled. "Well thanks. Listen. Maybe after the game, you and me could go to Sonic, get some milkshakes. That sound fun?"

"Does that sound fun?!" Minty exclaimed, but then cleared her throat. "I mean sure. I'd love to."

"Cool. Meet you at the front entrance after the game." He said, getting back up off the bench, putting his helmet back on.

Minty turned to her two friends with utter shock on her face. "Did he just…?"

They nodded.

"And I…?"

They nodded again.

Minty smiled widely. "Holy Sour Punch, I can't believe he asked me out!"

The other two laughed at her freak out. Minty always seemed to get excited every chance she got.

The football game continued without much action. Northridge managed a field goal, but the third quarter ended with the score at 14-6. Then the forth quarter started, and about four minutes in, the Cavaliers scored another touchdown after their running back ran for a thirty yard score. After a three-and-out on defense, the Cavs held the ball until the end if the game, winning 21-6.

Everyone stood for the school song after they were finished celebrating the victory.

"Carson High, we honor you,

in our hearts, always true.

Cavaliers, stand with pride,

on and on, side by side.

Strong tradition

is our mission.

Love and pride,

nationwide.

Proudly sing as the years go by,

we're the Cavs of CARSON HIGH!"

The crowd cheered, and thusly, the football game was officially over.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••


	2. Chapter 2

Minty got up off the bench. "Well, off to meet Swizz." She said happily. "Bye, guys."

Vanellope and Citrusella waved goodbye.

"Jubi's probably waiting for me." Citrusella said. "Bye, Vanellope."

"See ya." Vanellope said back.

"Do you need a ride?" Citrusella asked.

Vanellope looked towards Taffyta, who was just returning from storing away equipment at the storage building. She looked back at Citrusella. "I'm fine."

"Okay. Bye." She walked towards the exit.

"Bye." Vanellope said. She sighed and stood up. Taffyta was close now. She fought her nervousness and walked up to her. "Hey."

"Hey." Taffyta said back. "Where'd your friends go?"

"They left to go home." Vanellope told her, knowing well that her cheeks were probably red as apples.

"Oh. I was thinking maybe I could go get something to eat with you guys."

Vanellope got an idea. "Well, you and I could go eat. There's a DQ right down the street from here."

Taffyta scratched her head. "Sure, I guess. We could get Blizzards."

"Awesome!" Vanellope said a little too enthusiastically. They made their way to the exit. After leaving the stadium, they began towards the Dairy Queen.

"So where did you move here from?" Vanellope asked.

"Topeka, Kansas. I lived there for two years, and before that, I lived in Oklahoma City, my hometown. My mom got a job transfer from Oklahoma to Topeka, and then she got another transfer here."

"What does your mom do?" Vanellope asked. They were a third of the way to the restaurant.

"She's a physics engineer." Taffyta answered.

"So your dad's a pro football player and your mom's an engineer. Must be a pretty rich family."

Taffyta shrugged. "I guess so. We have a nice house. Two stories, four bedrooms, three bathrooms. My mom drives a BMW. So yeah, pretty rich. But not filthy rich."

"Yeah. You don't seem that snobby." Vanellope chuckled.

"Yeah. I have good parents. You know, when they're home." She looked down, holding her elbow. "What do your parents do?"

"My dad works on a demolition crew. It may not be as prestigious as NFL player, but it supports everything comfortably."

"What about your mom?"

Vanellope paused for a moment. "I don't have a mom."

"Oh." Taffyta's gut twisted in guilt. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's not like that. I'm adopted. My dad isn't married. I don't have a mom." She paused again. "Well, I did, I just don't know anything about her."

"Oh." Taffyta felt guilty again for perhaps making Vanellope depressed.

Vanellope shrugged. "But what's the use wondering? I have the best dad I could ask for, so there's no need to want to change anything." She smiled.

Taffyta smiled back. She was glad Vanellope had cheered up.

They reached the Dairy Queen. They entered and ordered. Taffyta got a strawberry Blizzard while Vanellope got a Mint Oreo Blizzard. They got their treats and sat down at a table.

"So….what kind of activities do you do in school?" Taffyta asked.

Vanellope took a bite of ice cream. "I'm in a drawing class. I'm really good with paper and a pencil."

"Oh. Could you draw me?" Taffyta asked jokingly, chuckling.

Vanellope felt a lump in her throat. Yes, she could draw her. Multiple times, actually. Vanellope cleared her mind and asked Taffyta the same question. "What do you do in school?"

"Well, I play tennis, of course."

"Are you pretty good at it?" Vanellope asked.

"Pretty good, yes. I was district champion last year in Topeka."

"Oh, cool." Vanellope said.

Taffyta smiled. "So what kind of music do you listen to?"

"Well, it varies. I like rock, country, metal, things like that."

"Me too. I love Florida Georgia Line." Taffyta said.

"They're awesome." Vanellope agreed.

They were just about finished with their ice cream. Once they finished, they threw away their trash. They left the restaurant.

"Now what?" Taffyta asked.

"Do you have a ride?" Vanellope asked.

"My mom's probably working late downtown."

"Well, walk home with me. Maybe my dad can give you a ride."

"Thanks." Taffyta said as they began towards Vanellope's house, which was about a two mile walk.

They entered the suburban area as Vanellope asked "So what was the school in Topeka like?"

"It was….okay, I guess. Like I said, I only went there two years, but it was a little tough making friends."

"Really?" Tough making friends? Who wouldn't want to be Taffyta's friend? "How was it tough?"

"Because…." She trailed off. She let out a sigh. She felt Vanellope was trustworthy enough to tell her a secret. She hoped she could trust her. "Can you keep a secret?"

Vanellope was taken slightly off guard. A secret? "Uh, sure."

"Promise to keep it?" Taffyta asked.

"Promise." Vanellope assured her.

Taffyta sighed. "The reason it was tough was because….there was this girl at the school that I liked."

Vanellope's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah. So about a month into my first year there, I tried my luck and asked that girl out. Well, she not only said no, but she and her friends teased me and made fun of me for liking girls. No one wanted to hang out with me because I was always being made fun of."

Vanellope tried to keep herself from hugging Taffyta right then and there. She felt so sorry for her. "That sounds horrible. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. At least you're my friend, right?" She smiled at Vanellope, and what a smile it was.

"Yeah, of course!" Vanellope nodded, but then she sighed. She felt obligated to tell Taffyta her secret since Taffyta told hers. "Taffyta, I have a secret, too."

She looked at her curiously. Vanellope closed her eyes and sighed. "I like girls, too."

Taffyta's eyes widened. "You do?"

Vanellope nodded.

Taffyta took a moment to let that sink in, then she smiled. "So I'm not alone."

Vanellope smiled back. "Nope."

Taffyta giggled. They continued walking. Vanellope's house was about half a mile away. "Vanellope."

"Hm?"

Taffyta bit her lip. "Do you think I could….hold your hand?"

Vanellope nearly lost consciousness. "Say again?"

"Can I hold your hand?"

Vanellope didn't know why, but instead of saying "YES!" she asked "Why?"

"Because.…" Taffyta rubbed her elbow timidly. "Because I've never felt what I feels like to hold a girls hand, so I want to hold yours."

That was the sweetest thing Vanellope had ever heard. She held out her hand. "Sure."

Taffyta smiled. She took Vanellope's hand in her own, and Vanellope had never felt happier.

They reached Vanellope's house a few minutes later. Ralph's work truck was parked in the driveway.

"Vanellope." Taffyta said.

"Huh?"

"Instead of going home, do you think I could….spend the night here?"

Vanellope nearly combusted, but she managed to say. "Sure." She led her to the front door. She pulled a key out from behind a loose brick in the wall and opened the door. They walked in. It was a good house, nice and clean. Vanellope saw Ralph sitting on the couch, watching a college basketball game. He saw them come in. "Welcome home, kid. A little late." He got up and stood in front of the two. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Taffyta." Vanellope said. "Is it okay if she stays the night?"

Ralph bit the inside of his lip. He looked Taffyta over, who had a hopeful look on her face. Ralph shrugged, figuring she was a nice girl. "Sure."

"Yes!" Vanellope exclaimed. She turned to Taffyta. "My bedroom is the second to last door on the right down the hall." She told her. Taffyta nodded and went to her room.

Ralph looked at Vanellope. "She a nice girl?"

"Very." Vanellope nodded. "Thanks for letting her stay."

"No prob. I'll just have to find that sleeping bag."

"Sleeping bag? Wait, why does she need a sleeping bag?"

Ralph raised an eyebrow. "To sleep." He answered her.

"Well, why can't she sleep in my bed?" Vanellope asked.

Ralph sighed. "I barely know this girl. I don't want something to happen."

"Ralph, don't be ridiculous. We can trust her. Besides…." She leaned in and whispered. "I kinda like her, and I think she likes me a little. I don't want to lose a chance with her."

Ralph sighed and shook his head. "Vanellope…."

"Ralph, she's a really sweet girl. Okay? I just want to spend some close time with her so maybe we can have something special. I promise nothing will happen, okay?"

Ralph sighed, but she had a point. All Ralph wanted was for Vanellope to be happy, and he knew it would be a rare chance for her to find a girl that liked her back. He couldn't disappoint her. "Okay, Vanellope. But just sleep. No-"

"Yes, I get it."

"And stay separated."

"But Ralph." She looked up at him with puppy dog eyes. "I wanna cuddle her." She said in a small voice.

Ralph's heart nearly melted. Those puppy dog eyes were the ones that moved him into adopting Vanellope. "Oh, okay."

"Thank you." She smiled. She went up to him and kissed his cheek. She then went to her room.

When she got there, Taffyta had already changed into a set of Vanellope's PJs: a solid red tank top and Kansas Jayhawks pants. "I hope you don't mind. I'm a Jayhawks fan." She said.

Vanellope stared for a moment, but she snapped herself out of her amazement. "No prob." She went into the closet and closed the door behind her to change. She changed into her usual PJs: a long grey Matalica shirt that made it down to her thighs, along with a pair of blue shorts. She stepped out of the closet, and Taffyta laughed. "Matalica!" She exclaimed, playing air guitar. Vanellope laughed at her. Oh, she was perfect.

Vanellope went over to turn out the light as Taffyta lied down. When the lights went out, Taffyta said "Uh, do you think you could close the closet but leave the closet light on? I don't like the dark."

Vanellope did what Taffyta had said. "There?"

"Thanks." Taffyta told her as Vanellope got into bed beside Taffyta. Soon, Vanellope closed her eyes to go to sleep, but was shocked awake when Taffyta kissed her cheek. "Thanks for being so nice." She told her. She lied he head on her shoulder. Vanellope smiled and put her arm around Taffyta. "No problem."

"Good night." Taffyta said, closing her eyes.

Vanellope smiled, closing her own. "Sweet dreams."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

((A/N: This chapter will have some details of Vanellope and Taffyta's pasts, and just as a warning, some may be a little heavy-hearted, so just advising you of that now.))

Vanellope was the first to wake up that next mourning. When she opened her eyes, she found Taffyta lying her head on Vanellope's chest, snoring softly. Vanellope smiled widely. Taffyta was so cute, despite the fact that she was drooling all over her shirt.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Vanellope, I'm headed to work."

"Okay." She said quiet enough not to wake Taffyta.

"Why don't you get out if bed?" Ralph asked.

"I'm still tired." She said.

"It's 10:30. You're usually up earlier than this." He opened the door to find Taffyta asleep on Vanellope's chest.

Vanellope giggled. "I don't wanna get up because of her." She whispered.

Ralph sighed and smiled slightly. "Okay, fine. Just make sure she gets home when she wakes up."

"Okay." Vanellope nodded. Then she noticed Taffyta waking up.

"I'm leaving. Love ya." Ralph said before walking out.

"Love you." Vanellope said back to him.

"Huh?" Taffyta asked, shaking off her grogginess.

"Morning." Vanellope said. "You drool a lot, you know."

"What? Oh, sorry." Taffyta got off of Vanellope, which kinda disappointed her that she couldn't be Taffyta's pillow anymore.

"It's okay." Vanellope sat up. "So I guess I gotta take you home."

"Oh. Okay." Taffyta nodded. She got out of the bed. "I'll go call my mom so she can pick me up."

Vanellope got out of bed as well. "I'll go make breakfast for you."

"You don't have to." Taffyta said.

"It's no problem. Besides, I'm pretty good at making pancakes."

Taffyta looked at her. "Pancakes, you say?"

"Sure." Vanellope shrugged.

"Hm. Do you think you could put strawberries in them?"

Vanellope giggled. "Sure, Taffy. Oh, can I call you Taffy?"

Taffyta giggled. "That's what my parents always call me. Sure you can."

"Cool. Oh, you can call me Vanny. That's what my friends call me."

"Aww, that sounds cute." Taffyta smiled, picking up her cell phone.

"Really?" Vanellope asked, grinning.

"Yeah." Taffyta nodded.

Vanellope giggled. She stood there for a few moments, staring at Taffyta.

Taffyta noticed. "What?" Taffyta asked.

"Oh, uh….I'll just….go make pancakes." She said nervously before walking out.

Taffyta shrugged. She dialed her mom's phone number and waited for an answer.

"Hi, sweetheart." Her mom, Sofia, said.

"Hi, mom. Sorry I didn't call you last night."

"It's okay. I was at work working on a project." She said. "Another all-nighter."

"Okay." Taffyta nodded.

"Did you make it home alright?" She asked.

"Actually, I….wait, you're not at home?"

"Wait, where are you?" She asked.

"I'm staying at a friend's house."

"Oh, that's wonderful! You've already made a friend! Boy, girl?"

"She's a girl. A pretty nice girl." Taffyta smiled. She looked to the door to make sure Vanellope wasn't listening. "A really, really nice girl."

"Oh, really?" Sofia asked with slight surprise, but still with a happy tone. "Do you like this girl?"

"I guess so. She's cute, sort of tomboyish, but she's really nice to me. I haven't told her yet, though."

"Just be friends for a little while. Let things happen naturally." Taffyta's mom was always an expert on love. It was one of the reasons how she married a football player and stayed married for seven years and counting.

"Got it, mom." Taffyta nodded. "But she's so sweet, though! I don't know if I can wait for things to happen naturally." She said giddily.

"Okay, okay." Sofia chuckled a bit. "But try to, okay?"

"Okay."

"So you aren't at home?" She asked.

"Yeah, like I asked earlier, where are you? Still at work?!"

Sofia sighed. "Taffy, honey, listen. I got a sudden call, and I have a sort of meeting to go to."

"A meeting?" Taffyta's heart sank. Not another business trip. "Where is the meeting?"

Sofia sighed. "It's in Boston, sweetheart. I'm really sorry, but I won't be home until Wednesday."

"But…." Taffyta sighed. "I…."

"Sweetie, I'm really sorry. If it were up to me, I'd be home right now, but this is how things worked out to be. You still have that credit card with a thousand dollars on it if you need food, the car's still there if you need to go anywhere. Be careful driving, by the way."

"Yeah." Taffyta had gotten a hardship drivers license since she finished learning and aced the driving test before she was sixteen.

"I'm very sorry, Taffy. I know you feel lonely sometimes, but I promise you and I will spend plenty if time together when I get back, okay? Just stay safe at home."

"Wait, mom. Can….can I stay with Vanellope?"

"Who? Oh, that's the girl's name." Sofia clarified. "If it's okay with her parents, sure."

"Thanks, mom."

"But remember. I want you and Penelope-"

"Vanellope. With a V." Taffyta corrected.

"Oh. Vanellope. I want you and Vanellope to stay friends. I've never met her or her parents. By the way, are her parents nice?"

"Yeah. She has an adopted father. She doesn't have a mom. I think he's nice. He seemed to care a lot about Vanellope."

"Oh, she's adopted, too?" She asked. "How nice! You can tell her that. It's something you two have in common!"

"Hey, you're right. I should." Taffyta agreed.

"Oh, do you think perhaps I could talk to her father?"

"Uh, I think he went to work."

"Oh. So you two are alone?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." Sofia was silent for a few moments, thinking about something. "Taffyta, I don't think I need to have this conversation with you, but-"

"No, you don't." Taffyta said sternly. Her mom could be a tad overprotective, if that wasn't obvious yet.

"Okay. Remember. You two are friends until I know more about her and her father. Okay?"

"Okay. Maybe I'll call you when her dad gets back home so you can talk to him."

"Good."

"So….where are you now?"

"On a plane. I'll be landing in Cincinnati in a hour or so."

"Oh, so you're already gone." Taffyta said, disappointment in her voice.

"If I could have told you earlier, I would've. I just didn't want to call you because you were probably sleeping. I'm very sorry!"

"Please tell me ahead if time next time. I don't like it when you just leave all if a sudden."

"Sweetheart, I can't express how guilty I feel right now. I know you're disappointed."

"But you do this all the time. I come home to find a note saying you're gonna be gone for a week all the time."

"Taffy, please…" She sighed. "This job is really important to me, and these meetings are mandatory. There are only five other people in America that have the same job for this company as me. They're all from other cities around the country, and they're all going to Boston. I know that you like having me around, but I can't control these things."

"But mom…."

"I'll tell you what. You and your friend can go to the mall, a movie, whatever you want to do, okay? When you get older and move out, I'm not going to be around at all, so you should start learning what it's like to live on your own."

Taffyta sighed. "Okay, fine. I just want you to be safe."

"Taff, what's really bothering you?" Sofia could sense something subliminal was making Taffyta feel this way.

Taffyta sniffed. "Don't you remember last year?"

Sofia's breath hitched. Last year, Lucas, Taffyta's father, was flying to Phoenix for a game against the Cardinals, but the plane had engine failure just as it was about to land. The plane crashed near the airport in Phoenix. Taffyta's father was okay, as was everyone else since the plane was so close to the ground when its engine failed, but when she had heard about the crash, Taffyta was scared to death that her father might be gone. It would have been an unholy reliving of what had happened when Taffyta was five, when her biological parents were killed in a bombing at an airport back in her hometown of Oklahoma City.

"You know I don't like it when you fly without me saying goodbye first." Taffyta felt close to tears.

"I know, sweetheart, but I've flown dozens of times, and nothing has ever happened."

Taffyta sniffed. "But…."

"And if a goodbye is what you want, then okay."

Taffyta sniffed again. A tear fell from her eye. "Okay."

"Goodbye, sweetie. I love you. See you Wednesday."

"Bye. I love you, too."

"I have to turn off my phone. I'll call you when I get to Boston."

"I love you."

"Love you, too, sweetheart." She hung up her phone.

Taffyta put her phone down. She sat down on the bed and sighed. She wiped the tear off her face.

"Pancakes are ready." Vanellope said as she walked in. Then she saw Taffyta's face. "Taffyta, what's wrong?"

She sighed and looked at her. "Nothing."

"Are you sure? You seem sad." She blushed a little. She felt a bit weird, she was comforting her crush.

"It's okay." She stood up. "Let's eat breakfast."

Vanellope looked at her for a moment. "Okay then."

They went into the kitchen. Vanellope sat a plate of strawberry pancakes on the table. "There you go. Enjoy."

"Mm, they look good." Taffyta said, smiling. She sat down at the table. She picked her fork up and took a bite. "Mm, they taste good, too."

"Glad you like them." Vanellope said, sitting down with her own plate.

Taffyta continued to eat her pancakes. That's when she felt something against her leg. She looked under the table and saw a little white rabbit sniffing her pajama pants leg. "Aww! Who is this?" She kneeled down and started petting the rabbit's head.

"That's Marshmallow." Vanellope smiled, coming around the table to see Taffyta petting the bunny. "We got her about a year ago."

"Aww! Hi, Marshmallow!" She giggled. "Can I pick her up?"

"Be careful with her." Vanellope advised.

Taffyta picked up the rabbit into her arms. "She's so soft!" The rabbit wriggled around in her arms for a moment, but then got comfortable and started sniffing Taffyta's face.

Vanellope giggled. "I think she likes you."

"Oh, I just love her!" Taffyta giggled. She put Marshmallow back down. "Oh, I'd love a pet of my own. I never thought of getting a pet bunny, though."

"A rabbit is pretty easy to take care of, as long as you feed them." Vanellope said.

"I should ask my mom sometime for a pet." Taffyta said, getting back to her feet. "Once she gets back."

"Gets back from where?" Vanellope asked.

Taffyta scratched her head nervously. "Well, when I called her just a minute ago, she told me that she had a meeting in Boston to go to."

"All the way in Boston?" Vanellope asked.

"Yeah, things like that happen sometimes." She sighed. Her stomach felt like it was getting tied into a knot. "She gets a call out of the blue that she needs to go to some sort of meeting, and I'm here alone."

Vanellope looked down. "I'm sorry. Must be hard, huh?"

"I wouldn't say hard." Taffyta shrugged. "I guess it's as good as I can get. If I lived with my dad instead, he'd be at games and practices and all of that. I'd be just as lonely. And my dad has to stay in Atlanta, and my mom has to stay here, so I can't live with both of them until football season is over."

"Yeah." Vanellope felt really bad for Taffyta. Even though her parents were both very well paid, no matter how wealthy her family was, Taffyta still was alone a lot.

"But it's okay. Mom said I can stay here until she gets back." Taffyta said, giving a half smile.

"She did?!" Vanellope asked excitedly. "When is she getting back?"

"Not until Wednesday." She told her.

"Really?!" Four whole days with Taffyta living with her? That was awesome! Well, not the part about Taffyta's parents being gone all the time, but the part about getting to spend four whole days with her was the awesome part.

"My mom said we could go places. The mall, a movie, stuff like that." Taffyta shrugged.

"Sure. We could go to the mall." Vanellope nodded. Vanellope wasn't exactly the shopping type, but there were places she liked to go that were there. "But….how could we get there? The mall's like ten miles from here. That's a long walk."

"Oh, I can drive." Taffyta smiled proudly.

"You can?! Are you even sixteen?"

"Well, no. But I have a hardship license, so I can drive."

"Wow." Vanellope had no idea you could get a license before you were sixteen. Taffyta must have worked hard for it.

"Yeah, so we can just walk to my house I guess. It's a few miles from here, but it shouldn't take long, I don't think." Taffyta suggested. "Then I'll drive us to the mall."

"You have a car?!" Vanellope asked. Taffyta seemed to be unable to seise Vanellope's amazement.

"Yeah, sure I do." Taffyta had a blue Toyota Camry as her own. Her parents had gotten it for her when she had gotten her license. She didn't drive very much, since her mom usually insisted on doing the driving, but since her mom was gone, Taffyta could drive all she wanted.

"Seriously? Maybe you are kinda stuck up." Vanellope chuckled. "Joking."

"Heheh." Taffyta chuckled. "Yeah, sometimes I'm embarrassed of how rich my parents are. I just wanna fit in."

"Well, don't worry. I've never really fit in, so it's no big deal." Vanellope sat back down at the table, as did Taffyta. They returned to eating breakfast. "Hey, what are your parents like?" Vanellope asked, wanting to know more about Taffyta's family.

"They're good people. Oh, I forgot to tell you I'm adopted, too!" Taffyta said, beaming at Vanellope.

"Oh, really?!" Vanellope smiled back at her. "Cool! How long ago were you adopted."

"When I was seven. My adopted parents couldn't have a baby of their own, so they decided to adopt me. They thought it would better to adopt a little girl rather than a baby. I don't really know why, but I'm glad they did adopt me then. They say the older you get, the harder it is to get adopted."

"Yeah." Vanellope knew all about that. It wasn't until she was fourteen when she was adopted by Ralph. She had been an orphan for as long as she could remember. Well, originally, she wasn't orphaned. To put it frankly, Vanellope's biological parents weren't exactly fit to raise a child. Her mom and dad had problems with substance abuse, drank too much….as a matter of fact, she had heard a story from her foster parent that the doctor that had helped deliver her said that it was a miracle that she was born without any sort of defect, excluding her dyslexia that would develop later in her life. Vanellope's parents tried, but in a nutshell, things got too hard for her parents. They were too addicted to drugs and alcohol and not addicted to Vanellope enough, so when Vanellope was just four months old, a judge concluded that Vanellope's parents were unfit to raise her, and Vanellope was put in foster care. And from what Vanellope had learned later in life, after she had been taken from her parents, their addictions got worse and worse until her father turned to armed robbery to try and get money while her mother died from an overdose. Vanellope's biological father was now in prison; he still is. Apparently, he had gotten into a fight at a bar and ended up killing a man with a broken pint glass. The fate of her parents hurt Vanellope enough as it was, but what also hurt was her parents weren't even married. They weren't even dating. They had just conceived Vanellope the night of a big, drug-filled party. Her parents were both in their early twenties when it had happened. If that wasn't clear enough of an explanation, basically, Vanellope was a mistake. She was never supposed to exist. Sure, the insinuation seemed harsh, especially since she was the one that first came up with the notion that she was just a result of an unfortunate hook-up at a party. As a matter of fact, when Vanellope's mother found out she was pregnant, the only way she was able to convince her father to stick around was by promising money for drugs. Of course, that didn't work out, as her mother quickly went broke shortly after Vanellope was born, and was unable to pay her father. So thusly, Vanellope lived the first fourteen years of her life in a foster home before finally being adopted by Ralph.

"Believe it or not, though, Ralph adopted me just over a year ago. I was fourteen." Vanellope told Taffyta.

"Really?" Taffyta asked. "How nice of him. Most people come into a foster home wanting to adopt a child, not a teenager. He must've really liked you."

"Yeah, I guess so." Vanellope chuckled. "I did pull the whole 'puppy dog face' on him, so that may have influenced his decision for the better!"

"Heehee!" Taffyta giggled. "My parents tell me they adopted me because I was such a beautiful child." Taffyta blushed a little, but it was barely noticeable.

"I can see that." Vanellope smiled at her.

"Oh." Taffyta's blush was now definitely visible now. "Heheh, thanks."

Vanellope then realized what she had just said. "I mean, you probably would've been a beautiful child. I mean, look at you now." Vanellope immediately shut her mouth. She wasn't even thinking!

Taffyta's face was now completely red. She looked down bashfully. "Thank you."

Vanellope was still for a few moments before she cleared her jumbled up thoughts and spoke again. "So, uh, how're the pancakes?"

Taffyta had just finished them. "They were good!" She nodded.

Vanellope took the last bite of her pancakes as well. "Okay, done." She stood up and took Taffyta's and her own plate and sat them in the kitchen sink. "We go change, then we walk to your house?" She asked.

"Sure, Vanny." Taffyta smiled as she got up. She giggled. "I'm sorry, but that nickname is so cute!"

"Heheh, yeah, it kinda is, isn't it?" Vanellope chuckled. She walked to her room along with Taffyta. "I'll change in the closet. You can change in the bathroom, I guess."

"Okay." Taffyta grabbed her clothes from yesterday. "Once we get to my house, I'll probably change clothes. I got a tad bit sweaty at the game." Taffyta chuckled.

"What? Is it a lot of pressure being manager of the football team?" Vanellope asked jokingly.

"No. I just get so into the games sometimes." She then left the room and found the bathroom.

Vanellope stepped into her closet and got out if her PJs. She then put on a white sleeveless T-shirt and a pair of khaki cargo shorts, for the sake if her tomboy fashion scheme. She put on her Nike sneakers, and then left the closet.

There was Taffyta waiting for her. "Ready?" She asked.

"Mmhm." She grabbed her wallet and phone from the nightstand and slipped them into her pockets. She then walked with Taffyta outside. It was a nice and sunny day, with no wind, which was rare for Kansas City.

"Lead the way." Vanellope said to Taffyta as they began walking.

"You'll probably know my house when you see it. It's like a small mansion." Taffyta told her.

"Hm, okay." Vanellope said.

They continued to walk for a few minutes. While walking, Taffyta kind if wanted to ask to hold Vanellope's hand again, but then remembered what her mother had said: "Just be friends for now."

Taffyta sighed. How could she last?

After about a twenty minute walk, Vanellope spotted a relatively large two-story house. It had columns jetting from the front porch to the roof. There was a roundabout driveway with a blue Toyota parked on it. "Is that it?" Vanellope asked, pointing towards the house.

"Yep." Taffyta nodded.

"Wow. It's nice." It was by far the best looking house on the block.

They walked up to the front door. Taffyta pulled a key from her pocket and unlocked it. She opened it, and they stepped inside. To the left was a staircase, and to the right was a doorway to the living area.

"Wow. I wish I lived here." Vanellope said, chuckling.

Taffyta chuckled back. "I'll go change and get by wallet. You can wait in the living room."

"Okay." Vanellope walked to the living area while Taffyta went up the stairs to her room. The living room featured a couple maroon leather recliners and a matching love seat. There was also a stained wooden entertainment center with a large flat screen TV and stereo system, along with a PlayStation 4 hooked up to the TV.

Vanellope plopped down on one of the recliners. It was probably one of the most comfortable things Vanellope had ever sat on.

A few minutes later, Taffyta returned, wearing a pink sundress and matching slippers. She also had a pink flower in her hair. In her hands, she carried a small bag with her car keys, money, and other miscellaneous products inside. She smiled at Vanellope. "Since it's a pretty day, I thought I'd wear some summer clothes. Probably one of the last times I'll wear this for a while, since it's autumn and it'll get cold soon."

Vanellope looked her over. Wow. Vanellope thought she couldn't get any prettier than she already was, but she did.

"Vanellope?" Taffyta asked.

"Oh, uh…." Vanellope stood up and came over to her. "Yeah. I guess you could say I did the same, haha!" She was referring to her T-shirt and cargo shorts, as well as her tennis shoes. It was obvious who had a better fashion sense.

She giggled. "Yeah, you're right." She giggled again and smiled at her.

Vanellope's face reddened. Every time Taffyta smiled like that just made her a little more prettier. "So you gonna drive us to the mall?"

"Sure." She pulled out her car keys. "Come on." She turned and led Vanellope out to her car, first locking the front door of the house, of course. The car doors unlocked with a beep, Taffyta climbed in and sat in the driver's seat. Vanellope did the same on the other side of the vehicle. The car had manila colored leather seats and a video screen with the radio station on it.

"Cool car." Vanellope commented. "Oh! Let's listen to some music!" She said excitedly, pressing the touchscreen to look for a rock station.

"Sure, go ahead." Taffyta ignited the engine and put the car in drive. She pulled out of the driveway and turned down the street.

Vanellope found a radio station she liked and suddenly turned the music up loud. Blaring through the speakers was a song by Metallica. "Woohoo! Hahaha!" Vanellope laughed.

Taffyta cringed and turned the music down. "You scared the heck outta me!" She complained.

"Sorry." Vanellope said insincerely, chuckling. "Just messin' around with ya." She turned the music up a little to a more comfortable volume and started humming along with the music.

Taffyta smiled as she turned onto one of the busier streets. Well, it wasn't too busy. It was Saturday after all. Just a few cars here and there.

The song then switched to a Killswitch Engage song. "Oh yeah!" She hummed a bit for a little while until she said to Taffyta "Sing along, Taffy!" She laughed and elbowed her playfully.

"Sing along? I don't think so!" Taffyta shook her head, but laughed at her. Vanellope was so silly.

"Oh, come on! Sing!" Vanellope continued to laugh.

"I can't sing!" Taffyta protested.

"Oh, fine. You're no fun." She chuckled. "Actually, you are a lotta fun."

Taffyta chuckled back. "Thanks."

"Where do you wanna shop when we get there?" Vanellope asked her.

"I dunno." Taffyta shrugged her shoulders, watching the road ahead of her.

"We could go to Macy's. There's all kinds of stuff there. Maybe you could help me find some new hoodies for when it gets cold."

"I could get a hoodie maybe. Or two." Taffyta smiled. "And winter clothes in general."

They saw the mall ahead of them. Taffyta pulled into the parking lot and parked.

"I brought this." Taffyta said, pulling out what looked to be a credit card as they got out if the car and began walking towards the mall.

"A credit card?" Vanellope asked.

"It's more of a gift card. There's a thousand dollars on it." Taffyta said with imitated pride.

"A thousand dollars?!" Vanellope asked, amazed.

"Yeah. My mom leaves it with me for when she goes out of town so I can buy stuff. It's mostly supposed to be used for food, but I can use it to go shopping."

"Hm. Well, all I brought was…." She pulled her wallet out and looked in it. "Seventy bucks."

"I'll buy something for you." Taffyta smiled. "Or two." She chuckled.

"More like four or five, Mrs. Moneybags." Vanellope retorted humorously.

"Okay, okay." Taffyta responded dryly. "Since you're letting me stay with you for four days, I'll buy stuff for you. But that doesn't mean go crazy and start grabbing everything and hoping I'll buy it all!"

"Oh, please. For a girl who wears pretty much the same small set of clothes over and over, it's nice to bring in new stuff to add to the rotation, haha!"

"Ya know, I should give you some fashion tips. I mean, you obviously don't care about the way you dress."

"Now now. Of course I care." She smiled jokingly. "All my clothes need to be is two things: cheap and comfy, not fashionable!" She snickered. "But it wouldn't hurt for you to buy me one or two 'fashionable' things."

"Yeah. A blouse or something could really fit you. Maybe a pair of boots." She giggled. "But one or two seems kinda stingy. Seeing how you dress, three or four, maybe five is more like it."

"Eh, I know my style isn't exactly what you'd call 'cute', but I don't really care if I'm cute or not."

"Well, you should." Taffyta said. "Even though you don't need to try that hard to look cute." She said a bit quieter.

"Do what?" Vanellope asked, not fully determining what she had said so softly.

"U-uh….nothing." She shook her head. "I just think your style now is fine. But we can get you something different from what you're used to." She shrugged, desperately hoping Vanellope didn't really hear what she had said under her breath.

"Okay, I guess." Vanellope shrugged.

Taffyta sighed. She was growing a bit trepidatious. How could she keep herself from saying things like that? She had basically called Vanellope cute inadvertently. The whole "just friends" deal was gonna be hard to hold up until her mom allowed her to start with the "cutes" and the "pretties." She didn't know how she was going to keep herself from calling Vanellope those things, regardless of how true they were.

After a bit of walking, they finally arrived at the entrance. They walked through the doors, and thusly began Taffyta's shopping date with Vanellope.

Shopping TRIP with Vanellope! Not date!

.…Man. This was gonna be hard.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was a bit more crowded at the mall today since all the winter sales were already going on, and it was Saturday; the day most people go shopping. But it wasn't crazy like it would be in December.

"I haven't been to the mall in months." Vanellope admitted. "I'm not sure I know my way around this place."

"Well, I've never been here." Taffyta told her. "So what do we do?"

"Well, we'll find Macy's on this map here." She went over to the kiosk with a diagram of the mall. "Hm. It's on the other side of the mall." She chuckled. "We've got some walking to do."

Taffyta chuckled back. "Oh well. We're not in a hurry." They began walking through the building.

"Nope." Vanellope shook her head.

They walked side-by-side as they made their way towards Macy's. They passed clothing stores, shoe stores, gift shops, snack stands, et cetera. But when they were halfway through the mall, Taffyta glanced into one if the stores to see someone she recognized. "Hey look! It's one of your friends!" Taffyta said excitedly to Vanellope, who looked to where she was looking.

"It's Citrusella!" Vanellope smiled and ran into the GAP store to say hello, Taffyta following her. "Citrus!"

The blue-loving girl looked over at her and smiled. "Vanellope! What're you doing here?"

"Shopping with Taffyta." Vanellope smiled, putting a friendly arm around Taffyta's shoulders. "We're buds now, haha!" She smiled.

Taffyta smiled and blushed, putting an arm around Vanellope's back.

"Cool!" Citrusella smiled and nodded. "I'm here with my sister. She's off buying something."

"Are you getting anything?" Vanellope asked.

Citrusella shrugged. "I didn't bring money, so that's up to my sister, haha!"

"Well, Taffyta's just here to hang out with me while her mom's out of town. We were headed to Macy's." She saw Jubileena returning from the check-out table, a paper sack in her hand. "Hi, Jubileena!" Vanellope waved.

"Hey, Vanellope." She greeted back. She looked at Taffyta. "Who's this?" She asked.

"My friend Taffyta." Vanellope said, smiling at said friend.

"Nice to meet you." Jubileena looked down at her shorter little sister. "You gonna go off with them?" She asked.

"Sure!" She nodded.

"Okay. I'll call you when you need to be getting back to the car." She hugged her. "Have fun."

"Thanks, sis. Love ya." She said as she started walking off with Vanellope and Taffyta.

"Love ya." Jubileena waved.

Citrusella looked back to her two friends. "So you're Taffyta, right?" Citrusella asked.

"Mmhm." She nodded.

"How'd you and Vanny become friends so quick?" She asked curiously.

"Well…." Taffyta blushed a little after remembering last night.

"She needed a ride home 'cause her mom was working late." Vanellope said. "So I walked with her to my house, but then we decided she could sleep over. Then this morning, we found out her mom left on a short-notice business trip, so she called her mom, and she said Taffyta could stay with me until she gets back!"

"Cool! I'm Citrusella." She held her hand out.

Taffyta shook it. "Nice to meet you."

"Do you do any extra curricular stuff?" Citrusella asked. "Sports, clubs, or something?"

"I play tennis." She told her.

"Oh, like Candela?" Citrusella asked. Candela (AKA Candlehead) was a sophomore that was big on sports. She played volleyball, tennis, track; she excelled in athletics. Not so much in academics. She was a solid B-C student, since she could be pretty ditzy and easily distracted during class. She was nice, though, as long as you didn't provoke her. If you ever made her mad, she could use her athleticism to do quite a number on you. She had a rather short fuse.

"Yeah. She's on varsity tennis like me." Taffyta nodded.

"You're on varsity? Impressive." Citrusella told her. A varsity freshman was rather rare.

"Mmhm."

"She was a district champion, right?" Vanellope asked.

"Yeah, back in junior high in Topeka."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Taffyta." Citrusella told her.

"Nice to meet you, too."

"We're here." Vanellope announced as they finally reached the Macy's. They walked through the door to a sign advertising a sale for hoodies 20% off. "They're having a sale on hoodies! Yes!"

Taffyta chuckled. "Then let's go get some."

They walked to a section with plenty of different sweatshirts to choose from. Nike sweatshirts, college sweatshirts, high school sweatshirts, and more were there to pick from.

"How will I ever decide?" Vanellope asked. It would be fitting to describe Vanellope as a kid in a candy store when it came to shopping for hoodies, sneakers, and T-shirts. Shopping for dresses, on the other hand, weren't her forte, like the time Ralph made her get a dress to wear to Ralph's brother's wedding, where she would be the bridesmaid. Admittedly, it would have pretty much been the perfect night for Vanellope if not for that cursed itchy collar on that dress and the shoes she had to wear. She'd preferred a pair of Converse rather than those high-heeled death devices. She still had the marks left on her feet. That's why after Uncle Felix's and Aunt Tamora's wedded, Vanellope snuck off and changed shoes.

But back to hoodie shopping.

"Oh, Vanellope!" Taffyta called from a few racks down from where Vanellope was looking. She raised a pink sweatshirt above her head. "How about this one?" She asked. She was joking, of course. She didn't figure Vanellope was a big fan of pink.

"Ew!" Vanellope said in disgust.

"Aw, come on!" Taffyta chuckled. She looked down at the piece of clothing. "I kinda like it. Well, if you don't want it, I'll take it then."

"Sure, whatever." Vanellope waved a hand at her in a dismissive manner. "You see any green ones?"

"Yeah, plenty." Taffyta told her.

"Not just a normal green. A lighter green like….mint ice cream."

"Oh." Taffyta took a look around. "I dunno."

"How 'bout this one?" Citrusella asked from a little ways away, lifting a green hoodie up over the racks to show Vanellope.

"Yeah!" Vanellope hurried over to get a closer look at it. She took the shirt from Citrusella. "This is perfect."

"Cool. Glad I could help." Citrusella pointed her chin up proudly, crossing her arms.

Vanellope elbowed her playfully. "Yeah, thanks." She glanced at another rack of sweatshirts. "Hey, there's you a blue one." She pointed.

Citrusella looked over. "Oh, yes!" She exclaimed, grabbing it. "But I don't have any money."

"I'll buy it for you." Taffyta offered as she walked over.

"You will?" Citrusella asked.

"Sure."

Vanellope chuckled. "She's kinda rich." She told Citrusella.

"Oh." She nodded. "Well, thanks, Taffyta."

"No prob. Now what else were we gonna get?"

"I dunno. I just wanted a hoodie." Vanellope giggled.

"You know, I need to get you something a little more girly." Taffyta grinned.

"Girly? Uh, no, thanks." She extended her hands out in front of her.

"Oh, come on. It wouldn't hurt." She grabbed Vanellope's wrist. "Come on. I'm gonna find you something pretty."

"No no no! Ella, help me!" Vanellope begged.

"Eh, she has a point, Van." Citrusella chuckled.

"No!" Vanellope shook her head.

"Come on!" Taffyta tugged at her wrist, making her follow her. "I saw some pretty skirts over here."

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

It was torturous. What felt like weeks to Vanellope lasted only about an hour as Taffyta, with Citrusella's aid, cranked out outfit after outfit trying to find a rightful combination. Each time Vanellope had to make a trip back to the dressing rooms became more and more tedious. It was a big waste of time in her eyes, because every time she'd emerge from the changing cubicle, Taffyta would shake her head, saying "the skirt doesn't coincide with the top" or "the boots don't match your hair."

"Is this all really necessary?" Vanellope asked, hunching over from exhaustion as Taffyta and her apparent assistant Citrusella browsed the array of clothing. "I'm starving. Can't we just go to the food court?"

"Just wait, Vanellope. We'll find you something." Taffyta promised.

"Why do you want to get me a 'pretty' outfit anyway? I'm fine with what I got."

"Yes, we know. But you might like it." Citrusella said.

"Here." Taffyta came back over to Vanellope, carrying a brown skirt, green and white striped leggings, and a pair of boots. "Try these with your sweatshirt."

"With my sweatshirt?" Vanellope asked. "Hm. That's actually not too bad then." She took the clothing and went back into the changing room.

After a couple minutes of changing, Vanellope came back out of the room.

Taffyta tilted her head to the side, studying Vanellope's outfit. "That's actually pretty good." She nodded. "I think that'll work for you. Don't you think?"

"Actually, I kinda like it." Vanellope admitted.

"Great! You can get it and wear it to school Monday!" Taffyta grinned.

"Sure." Vanellope hurried back to the room and changed back into her T-shirt and shorts. She carried her new clothes in her arms. "Can we please go eat now?"

"Yeah." Citrusella nodded to Taffyta.

"Sure. Let's go check out first." Taffyta said.

They had their clothes scanned, bagged, and paid for at the cashier table, then they walked back out into the buzzing mall corridor, carrying their bags of clothes.

"Oh boy, I need to eat!" Vanellope groaned.

The other two girls giggled at her as they continued walking before arriving at the food court, a series of vendors lining the walls, all surrounding a large collection of tables and chairs.

"Oh, frozen yogurt!" Citrusella pointed towards a frozen treat stand called "Fruity Freeze". She began walking towards the stand without even waiting for the other two girls.

"Wait up, Citrus." Vanellope said as she followed with Taffyta.

They each got some frozen yogurt, mint for Vanellope, strawberry for Taffyta, and blueberry for Citrusella. They then sat down at the nearest table.

"Mm, this is tasty." Vanellope said, taking large bites of her treat.

"At least try to make it last." Taffyta giggled. She glanced over Vanellope's shoulder to see someone she recognized. Plenty of someones, actually.

Rancis Fluggerbutter, along with his buddies from football Prince Richardson, a running back, and Walker Haagen, a linebacker, were walking away from an Italian restaurant, each carrying trays of with three slices of pizza each. They were all wearing their black letterman jackets with green C's on them. They sat down at a table.

"Who we playing next week?" Walker asked, sitting across from Prince and Rancis.

"Prescott?" Prince asked, looking at Rancis for confirmation.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"They've got that running back who runs on jet fuel." Prince chuckled.

"Yeah, but he doesn't know how to move. He runs straight at the defense." Rancis said.

"Yeah, he won't even be able to walk straight if I hit him, haha!" Walker laughed.

"I don't doubt that." Rancis chuckled, taking a large bite out if her pizza.

Walker chuckled again until he glanced over Rancis' shoulder. "Hold on." Walker said.

"What?" Rancis asked.

"7 o'clock. Don't look now." He advised.

"Okay." Rancis nodded, looking at Walker, awaiting the okay.

Across the food court, Taffyta stood up with her empty cup. "I'll go throw this away. Be right back." She told her friends as she turned towards the trash can.

"Now look." Walker said, and Rancis and Prince turned their heads. "Blonde in the pink dress." He clarified.

"Oo, yeah." Prince smirked.

"Wait." Rancis looked closer. He didn't recognize her with her back facing towards them. But then she turned around. "That's the manager chick."

"Huh?" Walker asked.

"She one of the team's managers." He turned back around to look at Walker.

"Really?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "I've never noticed her before."

"She's probably never noticed you, either." Prince snickered a laugh.

"Ohhh." Rancis chuckled.

"Shut up, peach fuzz." Walker retorted to Prince.

"She's nice to look at, huh?" Prince smiled lopsidedly.

"From all angles, hehe." Walker chuckled.

"Eh, I've seen better." Rancis said, unimpressed.

"Seen better?" Walker chuckled. "You sure about that? Did you not see her?"

"Not my kinda girl." He shrugged.

"How would you know?" Prince asked.

"Go on and talk to her, man. She's quite the catch." Walker told him.

"I would, but-"

"You aren't scared, are ya?" Prince asked, smirking. "Huh, playboy?"

Rancis rubbed his forehead. He didn't want to tell them he'd already tried talking to her. He had a reputation to keep. "Fine." He stood up. "Do I got pizza sauce on my face?"

They shook their heads no.

"Good." He turned and began walking towards the table where the girl sat.

Taffyta waited for Citrusella and Vanellope to finish their frozen yogurt. They had gotten more than Taffyta had, which was why Taffyta was already done.

Taffyta noticed Rancis approaching. She rolled her eyes, but then got an idea. She tapped Vanellope's wrist. "Watch this." She whispered to her.

Vanellope cocked her head to the side. "Hm?"

"Well, lookie here." Rancis stood next to their table, smiling at Taffyta.

"Hello, Rancis." Taffyta said. "Fancy seeing you here."

"It's almost as if fate brought us back together, huh?" He chuckled. "Like it was meant to be?"

"I don't know about that." Taffyta shrugged.

"Listen, sweetheart. Don't act hard to get. It would be much better and a lot more fun if you and I just went off to do something together."

Vanellope choked on her yogurt for a moment, but Rancis didn't acknowledge it.

"Because we can both agree." Rancis tilted her head to the side, staring down at Taffyta. "A beautiful girl like you deserves the best." He tapped himself on the chest.

"Well…." Taffyta looked off to the side, mimicking flattered behavior. "Maybe."

"Don't be nervous." He extended his hand out to her. "I'll lead the way."

Vanellope stared at Taffyta with eyes the size of saucers. Was this what Taffyta meant when she said "watch this"?

Taffyta closed her eyes and giggled like a smitten little girl. She gingerly took Rancis' hand and stood up.

"There you go, babe. I know you'd come to your senses."

"Can I just say one thing real quick?" Taffyta asked innocently.

"What is it?" Rancis asked.

She smiled. "It's just that….when you asked me out just, I was thinking the whole time that this can only lead to one thing." She started walking towards Rancis slowly.

"Oh, really? And what is that?" Rancis asked as he backed up. He was starting to like where this was going.

Taffyta smiled back. "Well, I knew that it would lead…." Suddenly, Taffyta stuck her foot behind Rancis' leg. Rancis suddenly stumbled backwards and fell down.

"Ugh." He groaned for a moment.

Taffyta stood over him, smiling down at him. "I knew it would lead to you falling flat on your back."

Vanellope broke into laughter, as did Citrusella.

Rancis sat up, staring up at Taffyta in pure shock. He stood back to his feet, hesitated, then started walking back to his friends quickly.

"Dude." Walker was trying not to laugh. "What was that?!"

"Typical for a girl like her." Rancis said bitterly as he flopped back into his seat.

"Not your type, huh?" Prince laughed.

"Not in the slightest!" Rancis exclaimed. After a few seconds of silence, he pulled his smart phone out.

"What're you doing?" Walker asked.

"Looking at the team roster to find out her name." He said.

"Dude, let her go." He chuckled.

"Taffyta Muttonfudge." He read off his phone. "I'm searching that on Facebook."

"Dude, she's not accepting your friend request."

"That's not what I'm doing." He told them. "Here's her profile. It says she's from Topeka Middle School."

"So?" Prince asked.

"I'm finding out about her. No sane girl does that to me!"

"If you wanna know secrets or stuff like that, search her name in the tags." Walker suggested.

"Oh, good idea." Rancis nodded. "This might explain all of this."

"Maybe she'd got a boyfriend already." Walker suggested.

"She just moved here." Rancis told him as he searched "#TaffytaMuttonfudge". Suddenly, a bunch of posts of different people came up. "Wow. There's a lot of posts."

"She must've been popular." Prince shrugged.

"Hold on, listen to this first one. 'Breaking news, the dyke is moving away. Farewell #TaffytaMuttonfudge." Rancis read the first post.

"What's a dyke?" Walker asked. Prince shrugged.

"You guys are idiots." Rancis said to them, then he looked back down at his phone. "'Good riddance #TaffytaMuttonfudge.'"

"Sheesh. She must've taken a lot of guys down." Walker laughed.

"I don't think that's what this is about." Rancis shook his head. "'Word of advice, #TaffytaMuttonfudge. Keep your mouth shut at your new school. You'll stay out of trouble.'"

"She's already failed at that." Prince laughed.

Rancis nodded as her scrolled down. Then he paused on a particular post. "Hold on. Listen to this."

"What?" Walker asked.

"'Great news, guys! Tyler High School is minus one lesbian next year! Say bye to #TaffytaMuttonfudge!'"

Prince scoffed a laugh. "She's a lesbian?!" He asked.

"I think so." Rancis nodded. "Oh, this is good. She is gonna regret ever messing with me."

"What?" Prince asked.

"Everyone in school is going to know about this, and it will be living hell for her!"

"Hey, uh, I don't know, man. It seems like she's had enough of this, judging by those posts." Walker advised.

"Then why is she asking for more?" He asked.

"Just don't, okay man?" Walker told him.

"Okay, fine." Rancis rolled his eyes. "Instead, I think I'll keep this information, ya know, if the time comes that I need her to do something for me."

"Like blackmail?" Prince asked.

"Exactly!"

"Uh, I think you're taking this too far." Walker told him.

"Oh, don't worry. Until I need a favor from her, I won't tell anyone." He put his phone back in his pocket. "Let's go to Champs. They've got that sale on T-shirts."

Walker and Prince looked at each other. "Sure, I guess." Walker said, standing up with the other two.

"Oh, Taffyta, that was hilarious!" Vanellope exclaimed through her laughter.

"Haha, thanks." Taffyta sat back down at the table. "That's the second time he's tried asking me out. Hopefully he won't try again."

"I don't think he will." Citrusella shook her head.

"You think he took a hint?" Taffyta smiled.

"Yeah, probably." Citrusella grinned, looking back to see Rancis and his friends walking away.

"So now what do you girls wanna do?" Taffyta asked.

Vanellope finished off her last bite of yogurt. "Maybe a movie?" She asked.

"Yeah, a movie!" Citrusella agreed.

"Okay. Then afterwards, we can shop some more!" Taffyta grinned.

"Ugh." Vanellope rubbed her temples. "No more shopping!"

"Oh, fine, whiny pants." Taffyta chuckled. "Then what do you suppose we do after the movie?"

Vanellope shrugged. "We could go back to my house and hang out. Citrusella can come."

"Oh, can we invite Minty?" Citrusella asked.

"Yeah." Vanellope nodded.

"Sounds like fun!" Taffyta nodded. "Oh, even better idea. Sleepover!"

"Oh, good idea!" Citrusella nodded excitedly.

"Us three and Minty?" Vanellope asked.

"Yeah. You two might want to bring sleeping bags, though."

"Okay! I'll text Minty." Citrusella said, pulling out her phone. "Oh, when do I tell her to be there?"

"Uh, 9 o'clock, I guess." Vanellope shrugged. "That'll give me plenty of time to set up something for the party."

"We could just order pizza." Taffyta suggested.

"Yeah, or we could do that." Vanellope nodded.

"She says she'll be able to come." Citrusella looked up from her phone.

"So we go see that movie now?" Vanellope asked.

"Sure." Taffyta said, and the three stood up and walked towards the mall movie theater.

((A/N: I hope no one felt insulted by the "Facebook posts". It's part of the plot.

Speaking of plot, I have been plotting this story out, so hopefully now, updates will come quicker. Thank you for your reviews! Reviews are always welcome!))


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